Have you ever dabbled in travel photography? The caress of the breeze, the fragrance of a flower or a simple act of sharing something can come alive in photos. Travel Photography can be a fascinating way to capture the look and feel of a place and preserve it, long after we have left the place. India has a lot to offer for everyone- be it the casual photographer or the seasoned travel photographer. Native Planet brings you some of the best travel photos from across India that capture the different moods of the country. There is a heady mix of landscape, close-ups and nature photographs here that will leave you wanting for more. This is part 1 of a two part series. Enjoy the good travel photography!
Tamil Nadu
Apart from being a combination of hill stations, beaches and heritage spots Tamil Nadu is also for its own quirks like this bull-fighting sport above.
Pic Credit: Manu Manohar Photography
The desert is his home
Experience the romance and royalty of India in Rajasthan. Compiling a list of must-see places in India can be an exericise in futility but we still venture to recommend some of the best places here.
Pic Credit: bgreenlee
The world's largest open air laundromat
Have you ever heard of a Dhobi Ghat being a tourist spot? Well, Mumbai's Mahalaxmi Dhobi ghat also known as the world's largest open air laundromat is one of the must-see things in Mumbai. The washermen wash clothes in the open from Mumbai's hospitals and hotels. It was started in 1890 to serve the needs of the city's English and Parsi population.
Pic Credit:The House Of Philpott
Kumbha Mela
Held once in 12 years, the Kumbha Mela is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world where Hindus gather to take a bath in a sacred river. It is considered to be the largest peaceful gathering in the world. It is held every third year at one of the four places: Haridwar, Allahabad(Prayaga), Nashik and Ujjain.So, it is held once in each of these four places every twelfth year.
Pulsating Pushkar
Pushkar is a town that lies in Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan. It is one of the five sacred dhams(pilgrimage site) for devout Hindus.It is also famous the annual camel fair.
Pic Credit: Koshyk
Bathing in the Ganges
Haridwar (or Hardwar) literally meaning 'The Gateway to the Gods', is an important pilgrimage centre, situated in the beautiful hill state of Uttarakhand. This holy city is one of the ‘sapta-puris' i.e. the seven holy cities of India. In addition, this place is the gateway to three other pilgrimage centres of Uttarakhand namely Rishikesh, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.
Pic Credit: njyo
Discover Nagaland
Tucked away in the North-eastern part of the country Nagaland, a haven for nature lovers, is home to 16 major tribes and many others. Here is your complete guide to planning your trip to Nagaland and also seeing the most important places
Haunting Hampi
Hampi is a part of the ruins of Vijayanagara, the capital of the former Vijayanagara empire. Predating Vijayanagara it was a famous religious centre containing the Virupaksha temple and some other monuments. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Pic Credit: Wikipedia
Havelock Island
Named after Henry Havelock, a British General, Havelock is Andaman's star attraction and thousands of tourists flock to this tropical paradise every year. Five villages make up this island and each has its own beach namely Radha Nagar, Govinda Nagar, Bejoy Nagar, Shyam Nagar, Krishna Nagar. Radha Nagar holds the honour of being named as the best beach in Asia by TIME magazine in 2004.
Pic Credit: Arun Katiyar
Taj Mahal of the Deccan
Known as the Taj Mahal of the Deccan, this 16th century monument is a 'must visit' site in Bijapur, Karnataka.
In the 'Abode of the Clouds'
The name 'Meghalaya' literally translates to 'abode of the clouds'. One of the less visited states in the country, it holds spectacular views in addition to curiousities like the living root bridges in the picture above, which are bridges, strong enough to support the weigh of people, formed naturally out of roots of trees.
Cool in the Hills
Mahabaleshwar is a popular hill station that lies in the Satara district of Maharashtra. Located in the gorgeous Western Ghats, it is one of the very few evergreen spots in the world. Like many of the other hill stations, Mahabaleshwar too served as a summer getaway for the Britishers during the uncomfortable scorching summer periods.
Mahabaleshwar literally translates to ‘God of Great Power'. It is also popularly called the ‘Land of Five Rivers' at it is at this point that the rivers Venna, Gayatri, Savitri, Koyna and Krishna originate.
Chugging along Merrily
The world famous toy trains of India are something you should not miss a ride on. Here is how to have the joy ride of a lifetime.
Pic Credit: Sergi Hill
Railways- The lifeline of India
With the fourth largest railway network in the world, Indian Railways are quintessential to the Indian way of life. They are also a boon for travellers with rides suiting every pocket.
Pic Credit:Roshan Raj - Explorer
Pangong lake
Pangong Tso, also known asPangong Lake, is situated in the district of Leh of Jammu &Kashmirat an altitude of 4350 m above sea level. Placed on the Changthang Plateau bordering Tibet which is under China, the lake extends up to 134 km in length with more than half of it lying in Tibet. Despite being a salt-water lake, Pangong completely freezes during winters. The lake became popular after the movie '3 Idiots' was filmed here.
Taj Mahal
'The teardrop on the cheek of time' needs no introduction. Here is how to do more in Agra and where to stay.
Pic Credit: Bruno Girin
Rajasthan Again
Rajasthan is the land of palaces and forts and like the Mehrangarh fort above in Jodhpur, there are beautiful palaces and forts across the state. While you are there, do not forget to check out the various fairs and fests and also some of these places where you can stay.
That's a Catch!
This is a picture from the Crocodile Bank in Chennai, Asia's first crocodile breeding centre. It was set up with the aim of saving three endangered species of the crocodile - the marsh or mugger crocodile, the saltwater crocodile and the gharial.
Palace on Water
Jal Mahal is a beautiful palace situated amid a small lake in Jaipur. The palace was built as a hunting lodge for the kings and their families. The Jal Mahal can be seen from the banks of the lake.
Pic Credit: Wikipedia
Ride to the top of the World
Prepare to ride to the top of the world. Perched 10,000 ft above sea level, Khardung La pass is the highest motorable road in the world and challenges adventurers in and out. The route is also a popular trek route to get to the beautiful Valley of Flowers.
Pic Credit: beontheroad
The Land of Happiness
Mandu, Mandavgarh or Shadiabad, the land of happiness is an ancient ground that has weathered the ravages of time and nature. Today, Mandu tourism offers a getaway second to none. With traditional Malwa cuisine, with the daal-bati and malpua, and the Malwa festival organized by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department, an authentic holiday in yesteryear beckons travelers.
Pic Credit: Madhya Pradesh Tourism
Kashmir's charisma
Popular as the ‘Jewel in the crown of Kashmir' or ‘Srinagar's Jewel', Dal lake, the second largest lake in the valley of Kashmir it is set against the backdrop of the mighty Himalayas and is known for its houseboats and 'shikara' or wooden boat rides
The taste of Royalty
Gujarat, apart from being the birthplace of the father of the nation is a place with myriad number of attractions like the Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara.
Pic Credit: Wikipedia
Halt for Nature
Nagarhole literally means snake river.' The place derives its name from the gushing river that winds its way through its dense forests in a course that resembles a slithering snake. Located at the Kodagu district of Nagarhole, Karnataka, is a much favored haunt of nature lovers and wild life enthusiasts. a part of the sprawling Rajiv Gandhi National Park. A visit to Nagarhole would be incomplete without a trip to the Brahmagiri Mountains and the Irpu Falls.
In the Moonlit Garden
The moonlit pleasure garden called Mehtab Bagh identified by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan as ideal for viewing the Taj Mahal is among many of the attractions dotting Agra. Here is a link to some of the places where you can have a comfortable stay while enjoying the sights of Agra.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
A mystery worth 10 million
Unakoti means 'one less than a crore' in Bengali. Nobody knows who sculpted the mysterious unfinished structures of Shiva and other gods here. Find out more about this mysterious place here.
Pic Credit: Wikipedia
Is this the niagara?
This is a picture of the Hogenakkal Falls.Hoge' meaning ‘Smoke' and 'kal' meaning ‘rocks' and hence the term Hogenakkal meaning ‘Smoky Rocks'. A smoky appearance on the rock is created by the water plummeting forcefully. This riverside village is located approximately 150 kilometers from the busy metropolitan city, Bengaluru and is on the borders of the two states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Here are some more getaways near Chennai
Pic Credit: beontheroad